William Henry Avery (August 11, 1911 – November 4, 2009) was an American Republican Party politician who served as the 37th governor of Kansas from 1965 until 1967.

He was a member of the Wakefield School Board, and served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1951 to 1955, and in the Congress for the Republican Party from 1955 to 1965.

Although his gubernatorial service was short, Avery's outgoing personality and ability to win elections made him a central figure in Kansas Republican Party politics throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

"[3] Avery is remembered as the governor who sanctioned the executions of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, the murderers of the Clutter family, made notorious by the Truman Capote book In Cold Blood.

There had been a flood in 1935 and people in the Tuttle Creek area were much more concerned about losing their houses and land opposed to a water shortage.

Due to his work in Tuttle Creek, Avery was pushed to run for office in the state legislature.

He defeated prohibition candidate Ed Woellhof by 1983 votes to enter the Republican Party's 1954 primary.

I knew Albert and I didn't interrogate him very seriously on this, but he gave me the impression he voted against putting this money in for Milford and Tuttle Creek.

Avery's biggest competition in the primary was Doral Hawks, a Republican who had a strong hold on Topeka.

"These Blue Valley Belles got a lot of publicity by campaigning for Howard Miller, saying he stopped Tuttle Creek.

Many of the Republican members in the United States House of Representatives were inexperienced, which allowed Avery to climb up the ranks quickly.

The other four – Errett P. Scrivner, Edward H. Rees, Wint Smith, and Myron V. George – all voted for the reservoir.

"[20] Avery also backed a plan that would give statutory state aid to elementary and secondary schools.

"The state aid has been a lifesaver for them because they were strictly relying on an ad valorem tax and they had about reached their limit on that.

The "war babies" were coming to the age where they would be attending college, many were worried if there would be enough resources to accommodate these students.

Avery met with Kansas State University President Jim McCain to discuss the topic.

And instead of opposing that I think you should support junior colleges so they can prepare some of these students for leaving home and adjusting to the curriculum that we have on the collegiate level in Kansas.

Avery was the Republican incumbent to the Governorship and was seeking reelection during a time where he had raised taxes, a big no-no to the Kansas citizens.

"At the end of the campaign the incumbent governor was looking for anything to help, including doing two hours of "Ask Avery" TV five days before the election, where he took questions from viewers across the state.

"On election night Avery blamed the tax issues for his loss, but also noted that voters were frustrated over national problems such as inflation, rising crime rates, the Vietnam War, and student protests.

Avery's death left former New York Representative William F. Walsh as the oldest living former House member.